Understudy Weekend On Broadway

When you spend good money and time on a Broadway show, it can be a bit disappointing to arrive at the theater only to find a little white slip of paper tucked into your playbill that indicates one of the leads is out and replaced by an understudy. But in all my years of going to, working in, and writing for theatre, I've learned a little secret: those performances are often some of the most magical, thrilling experiences you'll ever have.

Two days, two shows, two understudies

Which is why it was a particularly intriguing weekend last week in New York City, where I saw two different shows on two consecutive nights in which the leading man was played by an understudy. But in both The Band's Visit and Anastasia, those understudies gave performances that I'll be remembering for a long time.

I'd been looking forward to The Band's Visit since last season, when it made its way onto several best-of critical lists while still at the Atlantic Theatre Company. Typically led by Tony Shalhoub and Katrina Lenk, it tells the story of an Egyptian band accidentally stranded in a tiny Israeli town for a night, thanks to a linguistic mix-up. But on the night I walked into the Barrymore Theater, Shalhoub was out, and standby James Rana was making his debut.

Judging by the reactions at curtain call and later at the stage door, the wary in the audience were quickly converted. Tewfiq is a bit of an anomaly of a leading man in a musical: restrained and reticent, with a careful formality that is only partly owed to the need to communicate in a second language. Rana made this reserved, formal man incredibly likable as well, with a slight twinkle in his eye that hinted at a desire for human connection - just like the other characters. When he bonds with Lenk's Dina over music and teaches her the gestures used in conducting, it's exquisite, and when he finally has an outburst of emotion, you can hear a pin drop in the theatre. This role is in the safest of hands; it's hard to believe this is Rana's Broadway debut.

With standby James Rana at The Band's Visit

When an understudy is on, the concern is often less about whether they're as "good" as the usual lead, but more about whether they'll have the same chemistry with their costars. Standbys and understudies often rehearse with each other, not the leads, so their first time going on may be the first (or almost the first) time performing with those lead actors. Here, though, it didn't show. Rana's character has most of his crucial scenes with Lenk, and they played off each other wonderfully, building a relationship that doesn't ignore the obvious attraction between them but that is also filled with caution and just a hint of self-sabotage and fear. He also worked well with Ari'el Stachel's Haled, the Chet Baker-loving young flirt in Tewfiq's orchestra who has a fraught relationship with the older man. Their scenes were alternately harsh, funny, and moving.

Frankly, I have a lot more to say about this show, but it will probably need an entire piece to itself. For now, suffice to say that this wonderful, small, odd little show is a remarkable feat with many layers to peel back, about missed connections and attempts to communicate and the small, simple ways we change each other.

When I got to Anastasia on Saturday night, I was actually fairly excited to find the understudy notice: Zach Adkins on for Dmitry (usually played by Derek Klena, who I saw in the role back in May). Adkins had taken on the role several times already over the summer and quickly garnered a following. Having already seen Klena's performance, part of me was actually hoping that Adkins would be on. My thoughts on Anastasia have been well-documented and shared already, so it's probably not surprising to anyone that I found the show equally magical on my second visit, but it was a beautifully different experience as well.

With understudy Zach Adkins at Anastasia

It's a rare privilege to be able to see multiple actors take on the same role, but one of the great joys is getting to compare those different angles on a character, and getting to fall in love with your favorite characters all over again. Where Klena's Dmitry was hardened by a rough life, snarky and quick-tempered with a soft center, Adkins's has a mischievous streak, laughing in the face of a world that hasn't been kind to him. His Dmitry rarely stops smiling (whether genuinely or sarcastically), making those serious moments all the more powerful. It's a softer, more vulnerable take as well, highlighted by some of my favorite vocal choices I've ever heard (his pure, clear use of head voice during the memory/love song "In a Crowd of Thousands" was especially stunning). And, like Rana in the previous night's show, his chemistry with his leading costars was excellent, particularly his delightful comedic tag-team with John Bolton as Vlad and a sweetly evolving romance with Christy Altomare's Anya. Affable, richly voiced, and funny, Adkins is already garnering a fanbase that will only grow in the lead roles that are sure to follow.

I'd go on about the rest of the cast too, only I would end up going on forever; you can read my previous article, linked above, for that :)

At risk of sounding like a broken record, there's something so special about getting to see an understudy perform. These are talented, hardworking actors who not only know their ensemble tracks, but every detail of leading roles as well. Next time you see an understudy on when you go to a show, give them a bit of extra applause at curtain call - they deserve it.